Brassiere



Oct. 25, 1955 F. v. GRAF 2,721,324

BRASSIERE Filed June 12 1953 Fig. 9.

INVENTO United States Patent BRASSIERE Fred V. Graf, Los -Angeles, Calif.

Application June 12,1953, Serial No..361,11 2

3 Claims; (Cl. 242) This invention relates: to an improvement in, brassieres and isparticularly directed to: a strapless brassiere- This brassiere scientifically designed, is. the latestcreation and is a. vast improvement. over the. conventional straplessbrassieres.

An important. object of my invention is toprovide. a strapless brassiere that will be comfortable, flexible and firmly support a breast; of any size. or shape, with less wires uncomfortbaly encircling and binding the body. Those skilled in the art have made many attempts to accomplish this object wit-hout'completesuccess.

Another objectof myinvention is abrassiere comprising two independent semi-circular wire frames each having on its return bend reversed substantially straight ends, an opentop breast cup threaded on each semi-circular portion of the wire.- frame, a strong webbing, band or foundation garment provided with holders to receive. the straight ends. of the wire frames, said holders secured to the front body portion and each positioned beneath each breast. The wire frames are independently adjustable up and down and sideways. The breast cup frames are adjustably connected to each other and to the foundation garment.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for removing the breast cups from their frames for laundering purposes and placing them back on the frame.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed specification taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a construction of a brassiere comprising the body structure, the wire breast cup frames and one complete breast cup, in which my invention has been embodied.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the metal holders.

Fig. 3 is a view of a modified wire breast cup frame with the return bend on the inside of the semi-circle.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of an open top breast cup mounted on the wire frame.

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of a modified holder secured to the garment and showing the eyes as fastening means at the front of the garment.

Fig. 7 is a top view of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged front elevational view of another modified holder secured to the garment and showing the fastening means at the front of the garment.

Fig. 9 is a cross cut view of different length spacers.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged front elevational view of two other modified holders, one flared out at the ends and the other threaded thruout.

Fig. 11 is a top view of the flared out holder in Fig. 10.

My brassiere comprises a foundation garment 4 having an elastic insert 6 located at each side thereof. Two breast cup frame holders 11 are secured to a metal plate 10 which is attached to the upper front portion of garment 4. Removably mounted in frame holders 11 are a pair of breast cup frames 12, each of which comprises a single piece of wire wire which is bent to form an outer armate portion 21 and a concentric inner arcuate portion; 13. Arcuate portions 13 and 21 form an open top breast cup frame comprising substantially three quarters of a. circle. Each of wire frames 12 is bent back upon itself at points 16- and, 17 to. form loops 18 and 20, loop 18 being larger than, loop 20.. The bottoms of frames 12 are provided withstraight end portions 24- which are removably inserted into frame holders 11. The inner faces of frames 12 are shaped and formed to the contours of the. body;

Removably mounted on frames 12 are; open top breast cups 30, one of which is. shown onthe left side of Fig. 1. Each breast cup 30 is. provided with a pair of elongated tubular members 15, which are.- slipped around frame 12 and in use are disposed over loops 18 and and around the upper part of outer' arcuate portion 21. One of tubular members 15. is. attached at. its end to a loop of cloth 38 having a clasp 3.6.. Theother oftubular members 15 is. attached at its end toan adjustablev strap 19 having a buckle: 23 and: clasp 25.

In use, after breast, cups 30 are mounted: on: frames; 12%, buckle 23. is. setfor the desired separation of frames 12 and clasp 25. isfor disconnecting or separating; the two independent. frames 12... The guide strap 32- with a: female clasp 34,is. quickly connected to the malev clasp- 36 shown on the. other frame. The other end 4.0: of the guide. strap 32 is. secured to the baele. of the foundation garment on an. angle and is quicklyadjusted. to: the body of wearer by' buckle 42., These guide straps. 32 are: secured. on both sides to. the cloth. 38.

Fig. 2 shows, the=l1olders 12,. secured. to. the. plate 1.0. Fig. 3 is a modification of the wire frames shown-in Fig. 1, comprising one piece. of when bent into. a semi-circle ofapproxi'mately 260 degrees leaving an opening of approximately degrees at the top at 16 and 17 and bent inwardly and down to a modified concave bend 44 and when reaching the semi-circle at 46 terminates into straight ends 48 and is shaped and formed to the contour of the body as shown in Fig. 4. The purpose of the padded concaved bent wire 44 is to press around the sides of a small breast thereby giving it a more conspicuous appearance. Fig. 5 illustrates an open top breast cup mounted on the wire frame.

A modification of the metal holder 10 in Fig. 1 is shown in Fig. 6, comprising a metal plate 50 having coiled ends 52 to receive the straight wire ends 12a and 48. Metal plate 50 is secured beneath each breast cup, to foundation garment 4 which is fastened in the front by means of conventional hooks and eyes 54 and 56 as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. Another modification of the holders is shown in Fig. 8, showing an enlarged tubing 58 grooved on the outside for securely fastening same to foundation garment 4. Two of the tubes 58 are secured beneath each breast cup to the foundation garment 4 and in line with the straight wire ends 12a and 48 of the wire breast cup frames. Fig. 9 illustrates dilferent lengths of spacers 28. Fig. 10 is another modification of the wire frame holders shown in Fig. 8, one view shows the tubes 58 having flared out ends and the other view shows the tubes threaded on the outer circumference. Either one will assure rigid securing to the foundation garment 4.

When this foundation garment is properly secured around the body of the wearer, just above the hips and resting thereon, the open top breast cups may be adjusted two ways. First, to suit the desired uplift of the wearer by raising or lowering the wire breast cup frames and inserting the required spacers. Second, they may be adjusted to the desired separation of the wearer by means of the center adjusting strap and then tightened by guide straps having an adjustable buckle. Once adjusted to the desired position the movement of the body cannot in any way shift the position of this unique open top strapless brassiere as it does in the conventional brassiere wherein the back portion of the brassiere moves up and down and consequently changes the position of the breast cups.

The weight of the bust is shifted from uncomfortable shoulder straps and painful curved wires by applicants wires nesting in the body support, resting comfortably on the hips and transferring the weight of the bust from the body portion to the hips which comfortably carry the bust, thus eliminating the discomfort of the previous strapless brassiere.

I claim:

1. A strapless brassiere comprising a foundation garment, a plate attached to the upper front of said garment, said plate having two pairs of holders positioned adjacent the top edge thereof, a pair of breast cup frames, each of said frames being formed from a single length of flexible wire, said frames having their ends disposed within said holders, said frames being bent to form substantially a three-quarter circle, each of said frames having an inner arcuate portion and a concentric outer arcuate portion, a pair of breast cups mounted on the inner arcuate portion of said frames, a pair of sleeves attached to each of said breast cups, said sleeves extending over the top ends of the outer arcuate portion of said frames, an adjustable strap attached to the ends of one pair of said sleeves between said breast cups and a pair of adjustable straps attached to the ends of the other pair of said sleeves on the other side of said breast cups, said last named straps extending diagonally toward said foundation garment and having their opposite ends attached to the top of said foundation garment, the adjustment of said straps being adapted to control the positioning of said breast cups.

2. A strapless brassiere comprising a foundation garvment, a plate attached to the upper front of said garment,

said plate having two pairs of holders positioned adjacent the top edge thereof, a pair of frames, each of said frames being formed from a single length of flexible wire, said frames having their ends disposed within said holders, each of said frames extending upwardly from said ends to form a pair of slightly concave inner breast holding portions and continuing around a pair of loops to form a semi-circular breast cup support, a pair of breast cups mounted on said supports, a pair of sleeves attached to each of said breast cups, said sleeves extending over said loops and over the inner breast holding portions of said frames, said inner breast holding portions of said frames adapted to bear against the side of the breasts to make the breasts more conspicuous.

3. The subject matter of claim 1, each of said frames having a pair of straight end portions, a tubular spacer member surrounding each of said end portions and extending between the top of said holder and the bottom of said arcuate portions to space said breast cups from said foundation garment, said spacer members being removable to provide adjustment of the height of the breast cups with respect to the foundation garment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,020,213 Martell et al. Mar. 12, 1912 2,432,910 Licht Dec. 16, 1947 2,483,272 Gluckin Sept. 27, 1949 2,509,353 Johnson May 30, 1950 2,644,947 Schwartz July 14, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 854,831 France Jan. 29, 1940 976,856 France Nov. 1, 1950 .zan 

